Larabars & Making Your Own Energy/Snack/Protein Bars

iamjoesgurl

I'm trying to eat a cleaner diet.  I went shopping at Trader Joe's this week and got a lot of whole foods which will help a lot with making sure I'm eating healthier. 

Before I went, I found a recipe for homemade larabars so I got a lot of ingredients to made them.  They are basically just fruit and nuts that are mixed together without added sugar or other additives.  Has anyone had larabars?  Any feedback?  Or has anyone made other types of bars?  I would welcome any new recipes to try other bars.  I just will feel better knowing exactly what it is that I'm eating!

AraDesi

I've made my own granola bars. I totally agree, its so nice knowing what is going into them! I started making them because FI was eating ones we bought from the store, and when we looked at them one of the first few ingredients was corn syrup - so much for granola bars being healthy. Not only do you know what is going in them, but you can customize them with whatever fruit or nuts you want, or if you're feeling like you need a little extra sweet - some chocolate chips.

Here is the recipe I used:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/homemade-granola-bars-recipe/index.html

I usually just varied the dried fruits - you can use whatever you want. Also, make sure you use some nonstick cooking spray, and the letting them cool for a few hours is definitely a must (it makes them so much easier to get out and they don't break as much).

Good luck, and I hope you find some recipes you like! You should definitely share if you find recipes that work out really well for you, I'd love to try them too 

FavoriteOne

larabars are extremely high on the sugar count. That's why they're so good. I haven't had them, but there's something like 22g of sugar per bar. That's a lot to me.

aettinge

This is the one I use and love! You could always omit the chocolate...

Ingredients:
1 cup whey or soy protein (I use vanilla)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups rolled oats (not instant)
1/2 cup oat bran
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 cup dark chocolate chips
2 cups greek style yogurt (plain)
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp vanilla
cooking spray
 
Prep:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Coat a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray.
2. In large mixing bowl combine protein powder, flour, oats, oat bran, flax seed, wheat germ, sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and chocolate chips.
3. In another bowl mix the yogurt, agave nectar, oils and vanilla. Mix well. Add to the dry ingredients and combine well.
4. Place mixture in prepared pan. Press it down and even out the top. Bake on middle rack in oven for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Let cool and into bars (I get about 20-22). Place bars on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake again for another 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Place in airtight container and store in refrigerator. Enjoy!!

Approx 290 calories per bar (8g fat, 15g protein & 5 g fibre) - I use them after a workout

iamjoesgurl

Thank you for the recipes!  I'll try them and let you know what I think.

Larabars do not have any added sugar.  The sugar in them is natural.  I try to minimize the amount of sugar in my diet, but sugar that is naturally found in foods is so much better than processed sugar.  I think the reason they have so much sugar is because many of them use dates to keep the ingredients holding together.  Dates are high in sugar, but they have so many vitamins and minerals as well as many health benefits that I think it would be worth it to me to overlook the high sugar content (I will just eat them in moderation).

I would be interested if there are any nutrition experts on the board to find out more about the nutritional value of the bars.  There are nuts for protein and I wonder if the combination of protein and sugar is particularly beneficial.

susanchunk

Larabars are fantastic! I have yet to try and make my own. The sugar count is actually quite reasonable, and they're all natural sugars. My favorite flavor is the Cashew Cookie. Best of luck with your bars!!

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

I do like larabars. The sugars don't bother me, because it's all from sugary fruit, like dates. I love that they're all natural and very simple (only 3-5 ingredients).

raynes

Here's a link to a thread on the Health & Fitness board on TN about homemade larabars.  There are a few blog links in there with recipes.

http://community.thenest.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/41631785.aspx

iamjoesgurl

Thanks Raynes!